I saw this really cool sign while my wife and I were walking around the main drag in Fredericksburg, Texas this past Friday.
I’m trying to get into the habit of always having a camera with me…you never know when something cool might just out in front of you!
For those of you who have never been to or never heard of Fredericksburg, Texas…here’s a little history…
from Wikipedia…
Fredericksburg is the seat of Gillespie County, in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2010 Census estimate, the city had a population of 10, 530
Fredericksburg was founded in 1846 and named after Prince Frederick of Prussia. Old-time German residents often referred to Fredericksburg as Fritztown, a nickname that is still used in some businesses. The town is also notable as the home of Texas German, a dialect spoken by the first generations of German settlers who initially refused to learn English. Fredericksburg shares many cultural characteristics with New Braunfels, which had been established by Prince Carl of Solms-Braunfels the previous year. Fredericksburg is the birthplace of Fleet Admiral Chester Nimitz. It is the sister city of Montabaur, Germany. On October 14, 1970, the Fredericksburg Historic District was added to the National Register of Historic Places in Texas.
The Fredericksburg-Stonewall area has become known as the Peach Capital of Texas.[9] and Benjamin Lester Enderle is known as the Father of the Hill Country Peach Industry. He was Gillespie County Surveyor and a math and science teacher at Fredericksburg High School when he planted five peach trees and began selling the fruit in 1921. Enderle worked to develop the Hale, Burbank, Elberta, and Stark varieties. He began marketing them through the H-E-B grocery chain, and eventually had 5,000 producing peach trees on 150 acres (61 ha).[10] Growers claim the taste[11] is due to the area having the right combination of elevation, sandy soil and climate to produce flavorful clingstone and freestone peaches. The fruit ripens May–August, and consumers can either buy pre-picked fruit, or pick their own.[12]
Herb farms,[13] grape culture, lavender production and wildflower seeds have become burgeoning businesses in Fredericksburg. Combinations of agribusiness with day spas, wedding facilities, or bed and breakfast accommodations is not unusual. There is even a Texas Hill Country Lavender Trail.
Lady Bird Johnson’s passion for Texas wildflowers not only lives on in the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center in Austin, but she also sparked off a high demand for seed. The 200-acre Wildseed Farms in Fredericksburg was founded by John R. Thomas in 1983 as a result of that high demand, and produces 88 varieties of wildflower seeds. It is the largest family-owned wildflower seed farm in the United States and host of an annual Wildflower Celebration.
In 1994, the Seventy-third Texas Legislature passed H.B. No. 1425, allowing brewpub operations within the state of Texas. Fredericksburg Brewing Company began operations shortly thereafter. A number of vineyards and related industry have also arisen in the post-LBJ era of Fredericksburg. The designated American Viticultural Areas of Fredericksburg in the Texas Hill Country AVA and the much larger Texas Hill Country AVA both include Fredericksburg inside their boundaries. Fredericksburg is a common starting point or destination for tourists visiting wineries in the Texas Hill Country.
More to Come…
Chuck
